Time interval processing and annotation in presence systems

Abstract

A method, apparatus and computer program product for performing time interval processing and annotation in presence systems includes obtaining presence information attributes relating to a presentity. The presence information for the presentity is modified with presence information attributes to provide annotated presence information for the presentity. The annotated presence information is then forwarded to at least one subscriber.

1. A method of providing time interval processing and annotation in a presence system comprising:
 obtaining presence information relating to a presentity, said presentity comprising a first entity; 
 forwarding said presence information to at least one subscriber; 
 obtaining presence information attributes relating to said presentity wherein said presence information attributes include a local time of the presentity and a time zone the presentity is currently located in and wherein the at least one subscriber is requesting information relating to the presentity; 
 modifying presence information for said presentity with said presence information attributes to obtain annotated presence information for said presentity wherein said modifying presence information comprises applying at least one rule to modify said presence information with said presence information attributes, wherein said modifying presence information is done asynchronously and wherein said modifying presence information takes place irrespective of any change in said presence information or said presence information attributes; and 
 forwarding said annotated presence information to said at least one subscriber, said subscriber comprising a second entity that has subscribed to the presentity's presence information. 
 
   
   
     2. The method of  claim 1  local time of the presently is represented as a Universal Time Clock (UTC) time and wherein a time zone the presently is currently located in is represented as an offset to said UTC time. 
   
   
     3. The method of  claim 1  wherein said presence information includes a physical locale of said presentity. 
   
   
     4. The method of  claim 1  wherein said interval rule is supplied by at least one of the group consisting of the presentity, the presence server and by the subscriber. 
   
   
     5. The method of  claim 1  further comprising determining a list of common persons from a list of acquaintances of said presentity and a list of acquaintances of said subscriber. 
   
   
     6. The method of  claim 5  further comprising determining which of the common persons are in a same physical locale as said presentity. 
   
   
     7. A computer readable medium having computer readable code thereon for providing time interval processing and annotation in presence systems, the medium comprising:
 instructions for obtaining presence information relating to a presentity, said presentity comprising a first entity; 
 instructions for obtaining presence information attributes include a local time of the presentity and a time zone the presentity is currently located in and wherein the at least one subscriber is requesting information relating to the presentity; 
 instructions for modifying presence information for said presentity with said presence information attributes to obtain annotated presence information for said presentity wherein said modifying presence information comprises applying at least one rule to modify said presence information with said presence information attributes, wherein said modifying presence information is done asynchronously and wherein said modifying presence information takes place irrespectively of any change in said presence information or said presence information attributes; and 
 instructions for forwarding said annotated presence information to said at least one subscriber, said subscriber comprising a second entity that has subscribed to the presentity's presence information. 
 
   
   
     8. The computer readable medium of  claim 7  wherein said local time of the presentity is represented as a Universal Time Clock (UTC) time and wherein a time zone the presentity is currently located in is represented as an offset to said UTC time. 
   
   
     9. The computer readable medium of  claim 8  wherein said UTC comprises s a Global Positioning system (GPS). 
   
   
     10. The computer readable medium of  claim 7  wherein said presence information includes a physical locale of said presentity. 
   
   
     11. The computer readable medium of  claim 7  wherein said interval rule is supplied by at least one of the group consisting of the presentity, the presence server and by the subscriber. 
   
   
     12. The computer readable medium of  claim 7  further comprising instructions for determining a list of common persons from a list of acquaintances of said presentity and a list of acquaintances of said subscriber. 
   
   
     13. The computer readable medium of  claim 12  further comprising instructions for determining which of the common persons are in a same physical locale as said presentity. 
   
   
     14. A computer system comprising:
 a memory; 
 a processor; 
 a communication interface; 
 an interconnection mechanism coupling the memory, the processor and the communications interface; and 
 wherein the memory is encoded with a time interval processing and annotation application that when performed on the processor, provides a process for processing information, the process causing the computer system to perform the operations of: 
 obtaining presence information relating to a presentity, said presentity comprising a first entity; 
 forwarding said presence information to at least one subscriber obtaining presence information attributes relating to said presentity wherein said presence information attributes include a local time of the presentity and a time zone the presentity is currently located in and wherein the at least one subscriber is requesting information relating to the presentity; 
 modifying presence information for said presentity with said presence information attributes to obtain annotated presence information for said presentity wherein said modifying presence information comprises applying at least one rule to modify said presence information with said presence information attributes, wherein said modifying presence information is done asynchronously and wherein said modifying presence information takes place irrespectively of any change in said presence information or said presence information attributes; and 
 forwarding said annotated presence information to said at least one subscriber, said subscriber comprising a second entity that has subscribed to the presentity's presence information. 
 
   
   
     15. The computer system of  claim 14  wherein said local time of the presentity is represented as a Universal Time Clock (UTC) time and wherein a time zone the presentity is currently located in is represented as an offset to said UTC time. 
   
   
     16. The computer system of  claim 15  wherein said UTC comprises s a Global Positioning system (GPS). 
   
   
     17. The method of  claim 2  wherein said UTC comprises s a Global Positioning system (GPS). 
   
   
     18. The computer system of  claim 14  wherein said presence information includes a physical locale of said presentity. 
   
   
     19. The computer system of  claim 14  wherein said interval rule is supplied by at least one of the group consisting of the presentity, the presence server and by the subscriber. 
   
   
     20. The computer system of  claim 14  further comprising determining a list of common persons from a list of acquaintances of said presentity and a list of acquaintances of said subscriber. 
   
   
     21. The computer system of  claim 20  further comprising determining which of the common persons are in a same physical locale as said presentity.